Labor Party leader Shelly Yacimovich will initiate a leadership primary in the
party at a Tel Aviv press conference on Sunday morning, her spokeswoman said on
Saturday night.

Yacimovich has been mulling advancing the primary, which
must be held by March according to Labor’s bylaws. Holding the race early would
enable her to run when she is strong and when potential candidates who are not
in the party yet like former IDF chief of staff Gabi Ashkenazi are not
ready.

“After holding consultations, I intend to immediately hold a party
convention, which will set the date for the election for party leader,”
Yacimovich said. “Labor is standing before important national goals. As the
alternative ruling party, we must advance our goals when we are united and leave
behind internal democratic contests.”

A Labor source said Yacimovich
would want the primary to be held as soon as possible after the October 22
municipal election. Yacimovich’s spokeswoman said she could not comment ahead of
the press conference.

The candidates who run against Yacimovich are
expected to be MKs Isaac Herzog, Eitan Cabel and Erel Margalit. Former generals
Ashkenazi and Amos Yadlin would surprise if they choose to enter the
race.

Cabel said the main question that needed to be decided was not the
date of the primary but whether Yacimovich would allow a membership drive to be
held ahead of it. He accused her of fearing to hold a membership drive that
could bring new blood into the party.

“She believes she is strong from
the previous drive, but she is much weaker than she thinks,” Cabel said. “Back
then, she had [Histadrut labor federation chief] Ofer Eini on her side. She had
momentum then, but now she doesn’t. She is acting like a coward who is scared to
open the ranks of the party. I am confident that whether or not there is a
drive, I can beat her.”

Herzog said he also wanted time to bring new
members into the party who would be interested in making a
change.

“Starting the race is her decision,” Herzog said. “If that's what
she wants, it’s fine with me, as long as the race will be fair and the municipal
elections will not be affected.”

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